Morning Read: ‘To Cocaine-Fueled Violence’

BuzzFeed’s Ben Smithwrote a column arguing that Bill de Blasio‘s main challenge won’t be public safety or universal pre-K, but rather “dealing with the explosion of Bloomberg’s machine after the grease of money is gone and the gears start sticking.”

Mr. de Blasio told the Wall Street Journal he once was so disillusioned by his experiences working in government that he considered leaving politics to become an activist. “I do still have a lot of pent up emotions,” said Mr. de Blasio. “I think there’s a thing called discipline that leaders are supposed to have.”

Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito, a council speaker front-runner, was hit with a New York Post story today declaring she “is pals with Bolivia’s socialist, anti-American president.” “How many mothers lost their children to cocaine-fueled violence in East Harlem? What does she has to say to those mothers?” asked an anonymous Democrat.

There’re two new reports on the governor’s race in the city’s tabloids. The Post‘s Fred Dicker has Westchester County Executive Rob Astorinodirectly admitting he’s mulling a run against Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “I am considering it right now. I have to consider it,’’ he said.

While in the Daily News, Ken Lovett reports that State GOP chair Ed Coxmay end up running against Mr. Cuomo himself if no one else steps up to the plate. “I think he could be a better gubernatorial candidate than a state party chair,” mused one top Republican consultant.